Philadelphia Inquirer Names New Yorker Alum as Publisher
Philadelphia Inquirer: The Philadelphia Inquirer announced Tuesday that its CEO, publisher Terrance C.Z. Egger, will retire and be replaced next month by Lisa Hughes, a member of the company’s board of directors, who will become the Inquirer’s first female...
The Economist Turns to Atlantic Veteran for New President
Adweek: Bob Cohn, formerly the president of The Atlantic, has been named as president/managing director for The Economist to oversee the print business, including expanding its subscription and digital offerings. “I am thrilled to join the amazing team at The...
Fortune to Erect Paywall in Redesign of Website, Magazine
New York Post: Fortune is going to go behind a paywall next month as part of a sweeping redesign of the magazine and website. The overhaul will also see the print magazine cut back to 10 times a year — and drop photos of business leaders from the...
Amazon, Google ‘More Trusted’ by Americans Than Media
Daily Mail: Amazon and Google are deemed to be more trustworthy than "America's most trusted man," according to a new report. Market researcher Morning Consult has revealed the most trusted brands in the US, with tech giants beating well-known actor Tom Hanks....
Netflix’s 2020 Oscar Nods Face Snubs from Theater Chains
Los Angeles Times: After Netflix received 24 Oscar nominations on Monday — the most of any studio and the highest number to date for the streaming giant — both AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas said that they wouldn’t screen its...
Disney’s Hulu at Work to Reinvent Ad Model for Streaming
Ad Age: Hulu is taking steps to protect its stronghold in the marketplace by investing in an ambitious goal: reinventing the ad model for streaming. If streaming really does upend the $70 billion TV market, Hulu wants to be in position to take a controlling...
Fox Seeks Black Viewers for New Streamer Called Fox Soul
Los Angeles Times: Fox is going back to its roots with the company’s first advertiser-supported streaming video service. The television stations division of the Rupert Murdoch family-controlled media company is launching a free over-the-top...
AT&T’s Warner Bros Stirs Anger with New Manhattan Store
Crain's New York Business: A new Harry Potter flagship store in the Flatiron District will host the world's largest collection of products from the wizarding world under one roof — assuming it can cast a charm over the city's Landmark Preservation...
Liberty Media CEO Eyes Moves to Dominate Music Industry
Billboard: In 2020, CEO Greg Maffei is poised to steer Liberty Media into far greater influence in the music business. In a speech in November, Maffei made a case for audio — not video — as “a more attractive space where we are spending our...
Disney-ABC ‘The View’ Host Exits Amid Toxic Work Charge
New York Post: Abby Huntsman announced on Monday she’s quitting “The View” to join her father, Jon Huntsman Jr., on his Utah gubernatorial campaign. But the campaign isn’t the real reason for her exit from the ABC...
Comcast Eyes MSNBC Shakeup – and Talks to Shep Smith
Daily Beast: MSNBC staffers are bracing for a shakeup amid discussion of moving ratings-challenged Chuck Todd to a morning slot and execs talking with Fox News escapee Shepard Smith. The goal of any reshuffle would be to shed ratings dead...
Charter News Channel NY1 Taps Tegna Alum for Content
Broadcasting & Cable: Helen Swenson has been named VP of content at Spectrum News NY1. She will oversee all content development, programming and news efforts, including strategic planning, creation and execution for news network...
Tribune Publishing Offers Staff Buyouts Amid Challenges
Crain's Chicago Business: Tribune Publishing is offering voluntary buyouts for veteran employees, even as its CEO cites rising digital subscriptions. The buyout is available to all employees who've worked eight or more years at one of the company’s 11...
News Corp Article is ‘Offensive’ to Britain’s Royal Princes
Reuters: Britain’s Prince William and his younger brother Harry publicly denounced an “offensive” report in the UK Times about their relationship, as the royals met for crunch talks to discuss the future roles of Harry and his American wife...
New York Times Faces Lawsuit Over ‘Clickbait Defamation’
Reuters: Prominent Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig sued the New York Times on Monday, claiming it engaged in “clickbait defamation” by falsely suggesting he once approved of accepting donations from the late accused sex offender Jeffrey...
Meredith’s InStyle Editor in Chief Prefers Text Over Email
The Cut: "The amount of work I do via email is completely declining," says Laura Brown, the editor-in-chief of InStyle. "It’s all text and DM now. I’ve got hundreds of emails, but that’s just crap. It’s not like I’m getting emails from my team unless I’m...
News Corp to Donate $3.5 Million for Australian Fire Relief
Fox News: News Corp on Monday announced a major donation for bushfire relief in Australia as the country copes with the growing disaster. The total pledge: 5 million Australian dollars, the equivalent of roughly $3.5 million U.S....
G/O Media Editorial Workers Urge Owners to Replace CEO
Wall Street Journal: Employees in G/O Media’s editorial union urged the company’s private-equity owners to replace G/O CEO Jim Spanfeller in a letter Monday, saying a change in leadership was required to improve the publisher's...
Group Nine Media Says Old Media Are Caught Up in Digital
Digiday: The notion of legacy media companies being behind is a 2-year-old narrative, according to Group Nine Media revenue chief Geoff Schiller. "They were behind; they looked at digital pure plays, copied their playbooks, and I think they’re caught...
Drudge Report’s Audience Declines a Year Before Election
Sun-Sentinel: A year out from the 2020 election, Drudge Report’s audience was down. From September through November, monthly visits were down 28.3% from the same three months in 2018. Still, the audience is...
Sony, Comcast, Netflix Films Among Contenders for Oscars
Associated Press: Who will be celebrating Oscar morning? Brad Pitt for sure. Jennifer Lopez almost certainly. And very possibly the Obamas, too. Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards, which will begin at 8:18 a.m. ET Monday, should bring plenty of star power to the...
Disney Signs Up Meghan Markle After Flap with Royal Family
Times of London: The Duchess of Sussex has signed a deal with Disney to benefit a wildlife charity. It will involve the duchess doing a voiceover in return for a donation to Elephants Without Borders, a group that helps to protect the animals from...
Comcast’s NBCUniversal in Megadeal with Seth MacFarlane
Los Angeles Times: Seth MacFarlane, one of television’s most successful producers, is singing a new tune. The creator of “Family Guy,” “American Dad!,” “Ted” and “The Orville” is leaving his longtime home at 20th Century Fox...
Disney’s ESPN Eyes Tony Romo for Top-Paid Sportscaster
Front Office Sports: ESPN is preparing an offer that would make Tony Romo the highest-paid sportscaster in TV history, with a multi-year deal that would pay him $10 million to $14 million annually. Romo could succeed Booger McFarland as analyst on “Monday Night...
Discovery Plots Development of Its Own Streaming Service
Fierce Video: It might not happen in 2020, but eventually Discovery will launch a big streaming video service that includes content from all its brands, said CEO David Zaslav. He said the cable business is still growing outside the U.S. but that overall viewership is...
Disney’s Hulu Plans Dedicated Section to Programs from FX
Los Angeles Times: Hulu adopts a new personality in March with the launch of a dedicated section for FX original programming. “We see this as a transformative opportunity for the FX brand, our shows and our talent,” said FX chief John...
AT&T’s CNN Pays Record $76 Million to Settle Labor Dispute
Associated Press: CNN has agreed to pay $76 million in backpay as part of a record settlement with the federal labor board after the cable news network terminated the contracts of unionized camera operators. The settlement will benefit more than 300...
One America News Network Eyed for Buyout by Trump Pals
Wall Street Journal: Allies of President Trump are pursuing an effort to acquire right-leaning news channel One America News Network, in a bid to shake up a conservative media market that has been dominated by Fox News...
Chernin in Talks to Sell Barstool Sports to Casino Operator
Vox Media: Barstool Sports, the high-profile, controversial and fast-growing sports media company, may soon have a new owner: A low-profile casino operator. Sources say owner Chernin Group is in advanced talks to sell a majority...
Apple TV+, Oprah Pull Out of Russell Simmons Documentary
USA Today: Oprah Winfrey has pulled out of an documentary centered on sexual misconduct allegations against music exec Russell Simmons, weeks before the film was slated to premiere at the Sundance Film...